Terenzio Tocci

Terenzio Tocci (Albanian: Terenc Toçi; 9 March 1880 – 14 March 1945) was an Albanian politician of Arbëresh origins. Distinguished for patriotic activities before the Albanian independence he went on to serve during World War II as Chairman of the Superior Fascist Corporative Council (Albanian: Këshilli i Epërm Korporativ Fashist) from 1940 to 1943.[1] In 1945 Tocci was condemned in communist Albania for high treason and collaboration with fascism and sentenced to death.

Terenzio Tocci
7th Chairman of the Assembly of Albania
In office 9 April 1940 – 23 November 1942
Preceded by	Pandeli Evangjeli
Succeeded by	Ernest Koliqi
Personal details
Born	9 March 1880 San Cosmo Albanese, Calabria, Kingdom of Italy
Died	18 March 1945 (aged 65) Tirana, Albania
Signature

Biography

Terenzio Tocci was born on 9 March 1880 in San Cosmo Albanese, Calabria, Kingdom of Italy, he was Albanian by birth. He received a degree in law. In 1908-09 he went to the United States and conducted a campaign of sensibilization for the Albanian-Americans on the necessity of Albania's independence.[2]

Later on Tocci went to Albania and participated in the Albanian Revolt of 1910 and that of 1911. On 26/27 April 1911 in Orosh, Tocci gathered the Mirditë chieftains and proclaimed the independence of Albania, raised the flag of Albania and established a provisional government.[3][4][5] After Ottoman troops entered the area to put down the rebellion, Tocci fled the empire abandoning his activities.[5]

He was one of the participants of the Albanian Congress of Trieste in 1913.[6]

Tocci served in Albanian governments of King Zog prior to the Italian Invasion as Minister of National Economy.[7]

During the Italian presence in Albania in World War II Tocci served at the Superior Fascist Corporative Council (Albanian: Këshilli i Epërm Korporativ Fashist) as a member of the parliament, most notably as its Chairman from 1940 to 1943.[1]

After World War II Tocci was accused in Communist Albania for high treason and collaboration with Nazi Germany. The trial started on March 1, 1945, and was headed by Koçi Xoxe, then head of the political police. It is not known if Tocci was given the chance to defend himself in trial. The verdict was given on March 13, 1945. Tocci, along with 16 other people, were condemned to death. The execution occurred one day later, on March 14, 1945. Tocci and the others were all thrown in a common grave.[8]

References

1. - Republika e Shqipërisë KUVEND. Tiranë 2005
2. Marchianò, Francesco. "Terenzio Tocci: una vita per l'Albania". Nga Gajdhuret. Archived from the original on 2014-04-22. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
3. Elsie, Robert (2004), Historical dictionary of Albania, Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, p. 444, ISBN 978-0-8108-4872-6, OCLC 52347600, Tocci Torenzio....On 26 April 1911 he gathered the chieftains of Mirdita near Orosh and proclaimed independence of Albania, hoisting the Albanian flag for the first time after the death of Skanderbeg
4. Skendi, Stavro (1967). The Albanian national awakening. Princeton: Princeton University Press. pp. 412, 440. ISBN 9781400847761.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
5. Gawrych, George (2006). The crescent and the eagle: Ottoman rule, Islam and the Albanians, 1874–1913. London: IB Tauris. p. 186. ISBN 9781845112875.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
6. Elsie, Robert (2004), Historical dictionary of Albania, Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, p. 445, ISBN 978-0-8108-4872-6, OCLC 52347600, Tocci Torenzio....he took part in the Congress of Trieste
7. Shqiperia me 1937, pg. 41 Archived 2015-09-25 at the Wayback Machine
8. Caccamo, Francesco (April 1, 2014). "Gjyqi special i Terenc Tocit, arbereshit te pushkatuar me 1945". Panorama. Archived from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.

External links

• https://vimeo.com/ondemand/terenziotocci

Il miraggio adriatico. Terenzio Tocci, il liberatore d'Albania, (2016), documentary by Gilberto Martinelli in Italian and in Albanian.